Marine propulsion



Nov. 19, 1935. s ou-r I 2,021,815

MARINE PROPULSION Filed Sept. 6, 1934 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIALZ lllll lll i IIIIIIII v INVENTOR HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE My invention relates to marine propulsiomand has among itsobjects and advantages the provision of an improved propelling apparatus An object of my invention is to provide a wave operated propelling apparatus.

A further object is to provide a propelling apparatus in which the apparatus is positioned below the boat in a body-of still water and a'ctuated by the rocking action of the boat 'in'any direction, or by the bodily movement of the boat in a vertical direction.

A further object is to provide a device in which means is provided for-combining the propelling and steering apparatus, and in which compensation is provided forvariable depths of the still water. r I

Another object is to provide an apparatus which may easily be associated with boats of conventional design.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view as indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the invention, partly in section, as indicated by'the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view along, the line I 'of' which I connect a supporting bar l2 having reaches l4 provided with shaft extensions l6 housed within bearings 18 bolted to the boat.

Upon the bar 12 I mount a bearing 20 for rotatably supporting a; vertical shaft 22. I mount an'impeller blade, 24 upon the lower end of. the

shaft 22, which blade is mounted for rotary movement uponthe shaft, but is supported against endwise movement by reason of collars 26 and28.

Two arms 30 limit the rotary movement of the blade. 24 upon the shaft 22. These arms are formed integrally with the collar 28.

The shaft 22 is bent to provide a short reach 4 32 upon which I mount a casting 34 supporting a shaft 36 upon which a second impeller blade 33 is mounted. In Fig. 3, the casting 34 is provided with an extension 40 co-operating with the reach 32 for limiting the rotary movement-pf the impeller blade 38.

Referring to Fig. 6, the impeller blade 38 comprises two spaced apart metal sheets 42 between erably less than the area between the shaft and the rear part of the impeller. In this way, any

vertical movement of the shaft 22in the water in imparts an oscillating movement to the impeller 38.

The impeller 24 is constructed in the same way as the impeller38 and is mounted upon the shaft M 22in the same ofiset manner, whereby any lateral F movement of the shaft 22 in the water imparts an oscillating movement to the impeller. In counterbalancing and offsetting the impellers in the manner illustrated, I provide a construction which is sensitive in a high degree to any shifting of the. shaft 22 laterally or vertically.

To prevent longitudinal shifting of the shaft 22 within the bar 23, I provide an abutment in the nature of a collar 48 fastened to the shaft by a set screw 50. This collar is provided with agroove 52 within which two hook members 54 are positioned, which members are fastened to the bearing 20 by means of bolts 56. Thus, the shaft 22 is supported against longitudinal movement in either direction, while rotary movement is permitted.

In operation, the shaft 22 isadjusted to position the impellers Hand 38 in a body of still water. .Thus, anyrockingmotion imparted'to the boat by reason of surface irregularities will cause a shifting movement of the shaft 22. Any rocking action whichimparts an oscillating movementto the shaft 22 shifts the impeller 24 to an angular position, whereby continued movement of the shaft'imparts a forward impulsion to the boat. Similarly, any rocking action which imparts movement to the shaft 22 in a vertical direction operates the impeller 38 in the same way; Thus, I attain a propelling eifort'regardless of the nature of the rocking action of the boat. Referring to Fig. 3, I connect a steering arm 58 with the collar 48, whereby the shaft 22 may be rotated for steering the boat. During the operation of the. device, the steering arm 58 serves as a means for holding the shaft 22 against rotary movement, except for steering purposes. I I provide two hooks 60 arranged to latch the bar l2 in fixed relation with the boat It to resist shifting during the thrust effort of the impeller 38 in the phase tending to cause a lifting action upon the shaft 22.

My device may be rendered inoperative by shifting the apparatus to the dotted line position of Fig. 3. Each reach II is provided with a spring 62 having one end connected with the reach and its opposite end connected with a fixed member 64 within the boat "I, which springs-are of suflicienfi strength to hold the apparatus in the dotted line position of Fig. 3. I provide a chain 66 which prevents shifting of the apparatus beyond .the position illustrated.

The boat may be propelled in a reverse direc-. tion by rotating the shaft 22 one hundred eighty degrees.

Obviously, more than one unit may be connected with the boat. 01 course, the specific mounting for the impeller blades will depend upon the position of the unit.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may by applying current knowledge readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. The combination with aboat, of a support connected with the boat, a normally vertical shaft connected with said support, an impeller blade mounted for oscillation about said normally vertical shaft, a bearing connected with said shaft, and arranged at an angle thereto, a second impeller blade mounted upon said bearing for oscillation thereon, said shaft being of such length as to position both impellers within a body of still water, said impeller blades being actuated for propelling the boat by shifting of the shaft due to a rocking action of the boat caused by surface irregularities, and means for rotating the shaft to change the direction of the impulsive effort im parted to the boat for steering purposes.

2. The combination with a boat, of a support connected with the boat, a normally vertical shaft connected with said support, an impeller blade mounted for oscillation about-said normally vertical shaft, a bearing connected with said shaft and arranged at an angle thereto, a second impeller blade mounted upon said bearing for oscillation thereon, said shaft being of such-length 5 as to position both'impellers within a body of still water, said impeller blades being actuated for propelling the .boat by shifting of the shaft due to a rocking action of the boat caused by surface irregularities, and means for varying the distance between the impeller blades and the boat.

. 3. In a device of the type described; a normally vertical shaft, an impeller mounted for oscillation thereon, means for limiting the oscillatory movement of the blade, a support in the nature of a bar arranged at right angles to said shaft, an impeller mounted for oscillatory movement thereon, and means for limiting the oscillatory movement of said last-named impeller.

4. In a device of the type described, a normally vertical shaft, an impeller mounted for oscillation thereon, means for limiting the oscillatory movement of the blade, a support in the nature of a bar arranged at right angles to said shaft, an impeller mounted for oscillatory movement thereon, and means for limiting the oscillatory movement of said last-named impeller, said last-named means comprising in part a portion of said shaft.

5. Th1; combination with a boat, of a support joumaled to the boat, a vertical shaft connected 30 with said support, impelling means carried by said normally vertical shaft, and means connected with said support and the boat for holding the support and the normally vertical shaft in predetermined position, said support and said normally 35 

